"The Laughing Heart" by Charles Bukowski (poetry reading)

The words of Solomon represent the wisdom of the ages, and their truth does not depend on whether you believe in God.

This is what he says about laughter in Ecclesiates 7, verses 3 to 12:
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Laughing
• Heart
• Charles
• Bukowski

[ATAZish]

the greatest poem of all

[Jessymandias]

this actually made me cry a little bit...does that make me a pussy?

[StrawberryJungle]

@Jessymandias No, it makes you a good human being.

[kudu42]

This reader has a voice like warm chocolate, or very smooth scotch, or sunshine on flowers. I'm hooked

[MillCoveGallery]

Great inspirational words in their simplest form

[magdaszabo]

beautiful, one of his very beautiful ones....



[texanandproundofit]

@juliano66 it was

[juliano66]

this poem sounds like it was written by g\God

[LOSTOLDSOUL]

Such a great poem...you read it well!

[wisebrotha]

@DrKritter... you really should be thanking Bukowski!